Wall construction



Sept. 30, 1952 I. P. WHITEHO'USE EI'AL 2,612,246

' WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 9, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet l v INVENTORS Haw/v6 P. WHlTEHowg WOL F6AN6 w. KRAUss JAUS rm 6. DAMON BY MM ATTORNE Y5 p 1952 l. P. WHITEHOUSE ETAL 2,612,246

WALL CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 9, 1945 asks INVENTORS 1 ww m o N E H N Em R .A O Hw w W66 A mwx P 1952 P. WHITEHOUSE ET AL 2,612,246

W'ALL CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 9, 1945 IN V EN TORS m Wm M M T A m W BM smr Wrw mmA [Wow BY m M ATTORN'YS Patented Sept. 30, 1952 ;'2-, 612,246; "WALL. GONSTRUCTI'ON' :Jrxzing: E Whitehnnse; SouthEu'clid; WolfgimgFW;

='Knauss,; Aurora, and AustimG. Damon-, Lake- '--wcod; Ohim'assignors to Republic. Steel Corporation- Cleveland, f Jersey Ohio, a; corpnration oft New H i "-ApplicationNovember 9, 1945; sener Nu sances "-6 cam. (01. 1851--88) .Tllhespresent invention: relates to building: can.-

structiomand more particularly: the -construction .oi/ wallsnofi vlowzrcost industrial buildings.

include window sashz andfrarnes: and'rothersiof which-include (1001:5E5hi'. and. frames. @Figz;

"The-present:invention'saims. to;.provide subv stantial inexpensive; attractive wall 71 construe tion 'xior buildings-gsuchi as? warehouses, zshops,

structures. -It=. achieves; these 1 objects by employing a plurality of structural columns and mounting; a plurality. ofii'panels against thezonter: sides ofcthe columns- Both colnmnsiand-panelsrmay stores-,z-gas',stationsnofiice"buildings."and. similar showsthe" corner columns I; "andrpanels: 2 of? Fig.

Lands. also shows: agplurality' of intermediate columns 31' between: pairs of which the. panels I extend;

-= Fig. 3- shows one corner column J, two: intermediate columnsfipsdlidypanels and-:airpa'nel be made.onzairproductionz-basisuand:are strong ture cfthet panels and-may bezincluded oi omitted de'pen'dingronl thei re'sultsi desired. I

: The: attractiyeness or pleasing appearance fob- ;iective' istachievedi-by.Ltheuse=ofvarious finishing materialswhich may-'lbe a pIied -tcr' the surfaces or thexpanelsuand; columns. The present iin-ventionaand itsacc'omplishments will be .:better: understood from the following descrin'tiomand" the: drawings-which accompany thisspecificationandfin which,

:Tigure '1:h a -perspective' "'ew of' -a building exnbodyinguthe present invention;

Figure; 2 is a' fragmentary, "perspective, inside view off'the buildingof FigJ I;

Figure 3 r is a "horizontal sectional-Y'vi'ew' taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2 with parts broken away;

Z'Fig. ixis a vertical-'- sectional view 'taken *on line 4- 4 oi-Fig. I; p t

Fig; 5 is a fragmentary; vertical sectional view cfiia'. panel embodying this invention;

i 6 is a sectional J view -taken on line a 6- 6 offiFig. 5;

:Figi "lifisia iragmentary, sectional iview or adjacent iwallcpan'els with covering on their inner sidesancr almolding 'strip b'etween their adjacent homizontal edges; 1

Fig.1 81=is a view. similarto 'Fig. S -but showing panels having composite zmate'ri'arin 'the space between the-horizontal edges of the panels' -near their. inner surfaces; and

'. Fig. 9 is' a.-'view-similar' to: Figs. '71 and 8 but showingwamultiple layered coveringiior the 5:includinga'windovnframe"Eand. sash].

.The intermediatestructural. columns Ware formed from rolled. andwbent sheetrmetal parts and 9., Part: 9wis1 secured Within-i part BQ-and' provides: a; recess" lu on the outer: side-10f the column. -Each? cornenrcolumn 1. consists of "an outertand an'pinner column with. the-.inner c0lumnztpproiecting into: the inner cornern-ofiithe outer column. f The; outer column -isformed from rolled metal 1 It bent :into: substantially" recs tangular shapewbut. with an open: inner 10.011161? and flanges I2 extending therefrom. Therrinner columnzis. formed from rolled: metal part I 3;. :bent intoaright angle. shapecwithamarginal-flanges I4 and rolled; right-.anglegpart. t5 having" marginal flanges: tt-z-ztowresti againsti-parfili; :near flanges l4 andraagainst-xflanges i2 of the ,outer: column.

Recesses lleareadefinecl'on the outer; sidcof: the

inner column' by flanges: I tandltheopposedrwall of thetcutercolumn. 1 1

.fipringelipsifli (see-also: Figs: 4-,:5f'and:6) are secured bywscrewsfZl in: the recesses: lflszofzthe columnar at: heights. corresponding to .therupper edges: oi the panelsrzz These: clips: are 'Ueshaped withr :one::1-leg beari-ng iagain'str-the columns-Land withia portion:22vextending1irorh: the otherxleg outwardly into; the hhcrizontal spacesix'between adjacentgpanelsfior az purpose presently tfozxapnear.

z'E-ach ofi lthe solidr-panelsArie-rectangular and includes: a JbOX i-IikGZmGtEI shell: 2 5rhaving an open inner side. When heat' insulatingrproperties are desired 1 filler.- 2 6 preferably composedii of: heat insulating-material such as Gelotex; fibre. glass. light weight-concrete,-:cemesto: board.) omplastic material=may-berincludedrin thezpanels. s Iirsome instances stheinner surfeeemffitheifilleitmayhave a covering 21.

the. caseio'fi the:windowrpanel 5;: the panel includes a hollow rectangular m'etal bodyf au- '(Fig. lrprcvided. along its r-innenzmargin with. flanged structurahmcmbers. 3| land 3ziagainst whichithe sash 3300f the window frameimay' con-tact: when in closed position. Sp'rmg clips;';34 (Fig. '3)

which: engage iflangesi then the; corner columns. or":correspondingftflanges on the .:intermediate columns serve to: retain members? 3 l: :ini proper position? relatiye to. thesashimembert 3.3 I '.?I;E'ide-- 4 a trim strip 5! is located in the space provided by those beveled surfaces. This strip 5| may consist of various materials, such as any suitable plastic, cement or the like.

Fig. 7 shows a molding strip 52 and inside covenants" for the panels. The coverings 53 mayconsist of various materials such as Transite,

v plywood or the like, and these coverings are c0- shaped. The grooves 35 are formed by suitably indenting or deforming the thin metal shell 25...

or 39 of the panels and the projections 36 are formed by deforming the shell outwardly; Wheni.

two panels are assembled vertically one abovey-- the other the projection onthe upper-surface of the lower panel extends into thegroove" of the upper panel and thus the projection and extensive vertically with each panel and cover the panels horizontally between theopposed surfaces of the -columns. Preferably, the strips 52 are composed of metal, such as stainless steel, altho suitable plastic material may be used if desired, and

these strips maybe painted or otherwise colored.

In Fig. 9 the liners 26 have their inner sur- 7 faces covered with multiple layered coverings.

groove locate two adjacent panels relative to each other. Portions 22 of clips extend into the space between the projections 36 and groovesof adjacent panels and preferably embrace the projections, as is illustrated in Figs. e and 5.

When the clip retaining screws 2| are tightened,

the leg of the-clip to which portion 22-is con nected'is deflected inwardly toward the column and portion 22 is pressed-downwardly and inwardly. As a result, portion 22 presses the panel therebelow down against the next lower panel I I and'ialso pulls it against the column thereby closing cracks or spaces between the panel and a lower panel, as well as the column. This pr'er vents rattling and passage of air between the panels and columns. .The horizontal space be-' tweentwo vertically arranged panels is sealed by any suitable sealing material 40 (Fig. 5) and such material extends from one side of clip 23 r to the-opposed side of the next adjacent clip 20 and thereby seals the horizontal space between thetwo panels from within the projection of one column to within the projection of the next column. The vertical edges of thepanels are provided with notches which may be made by deforming'the shell 25. These notches extend lengthwise of the vertical edges of the'panels and, as shown in Fig. 6, are preferably triangular in cross-section'but may be of various cross-seer When two adjacent panels aretional shapes. broughtinto assembled position thenotches in the opposed vertical edges of the panels define avertical space in which sealing means may be positioned, As shown in Fig. 6, a preferred form of sealing means is a corrosion-resistant, longitudinally split, resilient tube 46 which maybe composed of copper, brass or the-like. -The'se tubes are compressed slightly betweenthe adjacent panels so that they make good sealing contact with the panels and prevent the flow of fluid between the vertical edges of the panels. Preferably, each'tube 46 extends from some little distance above the bottom edge of its panel to some little distance above the top-edge of the panel so that there will be no break between'the tubes .at the horizontal space between the panels. The lower end of one tube is preferably tapered slightly so that it will telescope into the upper end of the next lower tube.

Means are provided for removing any moisture which may form in or find its way into the panel liners. As is shown in Figs. 5 and 6, this means comprises weep holes 48 in the lower parts of the liner shells to permit moisture to escape from the porous liner material.

The panels may be provided with various trims and coverings on their inner sides; Fig. 8 shows a simple form of trim in which the horizontal edges of the panel fillers 26 are beveled at 50 and.

in this instancefour layers of plywood are shown and the upper horizontal edge of this covering is flush with the upper edge of the liner while the lower edge of the covering on one panel extends to below the lower edge of the liner and abuts against the upper edge of the covering on thenext lower panel. Since the coverings abut, no space is provided for horizontal trim strips. Covering 55 may extend from one V61- tical edge of the panel to the opposite vertical edge if desired, or may merely extend between the opposed surfaces of the two columns supporting the panel. a

Still another type of covering and trim strip combination is shown in Figs. 5 and 6. There several layers 63 of covering material, such as plywood, are disposed on the inner surfaces of the panel fillers within the shell 25'. Layers 5| of similar material are disposed on the inner sur faceof the inner layer and are flush with the horizontal edges of the shell- 25 but cover the inner ends of those edges. An inner covering 62, which may be made of material such as covering 53 or of steel is disposed against the innersurface of layers 6| and extends between the vertical and horizontal edges of those layers. A trim strip 63,, which may be composed of stainless steel, plastic or the like, extends into the space between opposed coverings 6! and 62. These strips 63 abut against the opposed surfaces of adjacent columns, as is shownlin Fig. 6.

It will be understood from the drawings and the foregoing description thereof that the columns I. and 3 are inexpensive for they are composed of metal which may berolled and bent and assembled at low cost and on a, production basis. These columns are quite substantial because of their structural construction and maybe made attractive by painting and in other obvious manners. a

The panels are strong, substantial, serviceable over long periods of time and inexpensive. The shells 25 may be formed fromsheet metal on a production basis and the fillers may be readily applied thereto. The filler may be made of poor heat conducting material which acts as aniinsulatorto prevent the transfer of heat therethru. The sealing means about the edges of the panels are effective in preventing the flow of fluids and heat therethru. Thus, the wall is-not only substantial and durable butris economical of fuel for heating purposes.

. The outer surface of the panels may be formed so as to give the building a variety of different appearances. For example, as is shown in Fig. 5, the outer surface of shell 25 need not lie in a single plane but may be formed with undulations 65 which in this case extend horizontally. It will be understood that a variety of surface configurations may thus be impartedto the panels.

Furthermore, the outer surface of the shells 25 may be painted or coated with any of the well known finishes and thereby almost any desired color and combination of colors may be obtained. If desired, the outer surfaces of the panels may be enameled.

A wide variety of interior finishes may also be had by a suitable selection of coverings for the inner surfaces of the panels and trim strips may be used with these various coverings or omitted where and when desired.

Having thus described our invention so that others skilled in the art may be able to understand and practice the same, we state that what we desire to secure by Letters Patent is defined in what is claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. Building wall construction comprising a plurality of spaced, vertical, side wall and corner structural columns, each of said side wall columns having recessed outer sides, each of said corner columns including an inner rectangular column extending into the inner corner of an outer rectangular column and forming therewith recesses on the outer sides of said inner columns, a plurality of horizontal panels extending between adjacent columns and bearing against their outer sides, and clips secured in the recesses of said columns and operatively engaging said panels to retain them against the columns. 1

2. Building wall construction comprising a plurality of spaced, vertical, side wall and corner structural columns, each of said side wall columns having recessed outer sides, eachjfofi'said corner columns including an inner rectangular column extending into the open inner corner of an outer rectangular column and forming recesses on the outer sides of said inner column, flanges at the open corner of the outer column bearing against and secured to the adjacent sides of the inner column, a plurality of horizontal panels extending between adjacent columns and bearing against their outer sides, and clips secured in the recesses of said columns and operatively engaging said panelsto retain them against the columns.

3. Building wall construction spaced, vertical, structural columns havin recessed outer sides, horizontal panels spanning the space between two adjacent columns and arranged vertically one above another against the outer sides of said columns, said panels having interfitting horizontal edges, panel-retainin U- shaped sheet metal clips secured in the recesses in the columns for holding the panels against the recessed outer sides of the columns, said clips each having a leg bearing against a column, a leg spaced from the column, and a portionextending from the latter leg outwardly into the space between the interfitting edges and engaging and gripping said edges, and means extending through both said legs for exerting force on the outer leg tending to move it and said panels toward the columns.

4. Building wall construction spaced, vertical, structural columns having recessed outer sides, horizontal panels spanning the space between two adjacent columns and arranged vertically one above another against the outer sides of said columns, said panels having interfitting horizontal edges of generally V-sh'ape cross-section, and panel-retaining sheet metal clips for securing the panels against the recessed outer sides of the columns, each clip comprising comprising comprisin a U-shaped portion having v.an inner leg bearing against a column and an outerlegintegral therewith and spaced from the column, and a V-shaped portion attached to the outer leg and engaging said interfitting edges of said panels, and means engaging the outer leg of each clip urging said leg and adjacent panels toward the inner leg and the column to which itis attached.

5. Building wall construction comprising spaced, vertical, structuralcolunins, said columns each comprising an upright, elongated, metal, box-section member having an opening in one side extending substantially the full length of said member, and an upright, elongated, metal channel nested in said member'and secured along its sides to opposing inner-wall 'portions of the said member on oppositasides of said opening, horizontally extending panels spanning the space between two adjacent colixmnshnd arranged one above another against the opensides of said boxsection members, and panel-retaining sheet metal clips secured in the'columns to said channels and extending through said opening into the space between the horizontal edges of two adjacent panels for securing the panels against the opposed sides of the columns, I each of said clips consisting of a first leg secured to a channel of a column, a second leg integral with and approximately parallel to said first leg and a portion integral with said second le and projecting into the space between the horizontal edges of two adjacent panels, and means engaging and urging said second leg toward said column.

6. Building wall construction comprising spaced, vertical, structural columns, horizontal panels spanning the space-between two adjacent columns and arranged vertically one above another against the outer sides of said columns, and panel-retaining sheet metal spring clips secured to the columns and extending into and weathertightly closing spaces between adjacent panels each of said clips including aresilient portion consisting of two integral, approximately parallel legs, one of which is connected to a column and another resilient portion integral with the other leg and extending into the'space between said panels, and means engaging and urging said other leg toward said column.

IRVING P. WHITEHOUSE. WOLFGANG W. KRAUSS. AUSTIN G. DAMON.

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